A number of orthopedic appliances have been devised in the past to correct foot deformities in young children, the deformities usually being in that the feet are directed inwardly towards one another, this deformity is commonly referred to as pigeon-toed. These prior devices for the most part were usually employed during the sleeping periods of the child since these prior devices rendered the child's feet almost if not completely immobile.
With the above in mind, it is one object of the invention to so structure an orthopedic device adapted to correct foot deformities such as a so called pigeon-toed condition of the feet which can be adapted to the feet of the child and which will permit a limited amount of mobility for the child whenever the appliance is employed to cure the aforesaid feet deformity.
Another object of the invention is to so structure an orthopedic appliance for correcting a deformity in the feet of a child which, when applied to the feet of the child, will not impede the natural movement of the feet when the child is crawling or when the child assumes a standing or walking position.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of sole plates for the orthopedic appliance which will permit for the attachment thereto of a pair of the child's shoes and when so secured thereto, the outward angle of the disposition of the shoes may be varied and subsequently set in the desired outward angle of disposition of the shoes so as to maintain the child's feet at a desired outward angle with respect to one another so as to correct the inward pointing of the feet commonly referred to as pigeon-toed.
Another object of the invention is to hingedly mount a pair of sole plates to a linkage arrangement between the aforesaid pair of sole plates which will permit the user of the applicant to elevate one foot with respect to the other foot and likewise permit one foot to be moved forward when elevated as in a walking movement. The hinge-linkage arrangement, aforesaid, will also permit the user of the appliance to advance one foot forwardly and/or rearwardly with respect to the other foot such as is experienced when a child crawls.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: